Back-protection garment.



PATENTED FEB. 1 3, 1906. s. F. SWANTEES. BACK PROTECTION GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MABHZZ, 1905.

INVENTOR ,xfmaeZZlfZwwzZear ATTORNEYS WITNESSES.

TTNTTE STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

BACK-PROTECTIION GARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed March 22, 1905. Serial No. 251,403-

T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL F. SwANTEEs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Itasca, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois,haveinvented a new and Improved Back-Protection Garment, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to im rovements in garments, and while capable ofgeneral use it is especially adapted for underwear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a reinforcement forcertain parts of a garment without encumbering the remainder of thegarment with additional and unnecessary thicknesses.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for presenting asoft surface to certain parts of the body, so that garments otherwise ofa rough and irritating nature can be worn with comfort; and afurtherobject is to provide means for forming an airspace between the softmaterial forming the inside surface and the main part of the garment.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the course of thesubjoined description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a rear view of a shirt embodying the principle of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof on the line 22 of Fig. 1, somewhat enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectional view 011 the line3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; andFig. 5 is a rear view of a union suit, showing a method of applying myinvention thereto.

The front a, sleeves b, and sides 0 of the garment are made in the usualor any desired manner of woolen or other fabric, and the main part (Z ofthe back is also formed as usual, all these parts preferably being ofthe same kind. of material and being formed either in one piece orseveral, as desired.

Upon the inside of the back upon a space designed to cover the spine andthe back part of the shoulders is placed a soft piece of fabric e tocome into contact with these parts of the body. This is preferably ofsuch soft texture that whatever the material of the main part of thegarment it will not irritate the skin or cause any discomfort to thewearer. The material to be used may be any material that will accomplishthis result. It preferably extends from the upper part of the shouldersto the lower part of the back; but obviously its exact shape is notmaterial, as it can be made to cover any desired parts of the body and,in fact, may be placed elsewhere than on the back, if desired, toprotect any tender part.

It will be seen that by the construction so far described garments maybe made of rough or coarse material or of the ordinary materialsemployed which have irritating properties and yet the back, which isvery sensitive to woolen and similar fabrics, will be provided withadditional protection and at the same time will be relieved from thediscomfort of the main part of the garment. This also is accomplishedwithout the use of additional thicknesses in parts of a garment where itis not desired or where it is actually injurious, as it would be ifapplied over the chest.

In order to add to the beneficient results of the reinforcement e, Iprovide means for separating it a slight distance from the body of theback (1, and thus provide an air-space between the two, the protectingproperties of which are well understood. To accomplish this result, Ipreferably place between the parts 6 and d a fabric f of very loosemesh, having thick threads, either of woven cloth or knitted goods.

It of course will be understood that the garments may be of knit orwoven goods, that the parts may be fastened together in any desirablemanner, and that the reinforcement may be applied to any of the garmentsnow ordinarily worn. It will be seen that the lessening of friction andirritation on the back of the wearer, usually caused by woolen or roughgoods, is entirely done away with by use of the inner layer of softfabric, also that the spinal cord and its branches will be thoroughlyprotected from sudden changes of temperature without necessitating thewearing of burdensome extra clothing and without the necessity offorming the other parts of the garment in as heavy a manner as thereinforcing parts.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. An undergarment adapted to cover the back andhaving an inner reinforcement covering the entire back thereof, saidreinforcement being of relatively soft material, and

means for separating the reinforcement from layers also covering theentire back portion 10 the main part of the back to provide an airof thegarment.

space. In testimony whereof I have signed my 2. An undergarment adaptedto cover the name to this specification in the presence of back andhaving a reinforcement composed two subscribing Witnesses.

of an outer layer of Woolen material covering SAMUEL F. SWANTEES. theentire back portion, an inner layer of rel- Witnesses:

atively soft material, and an intermediate B. E. PoUsT,

layer of loose-meshed fabric, the last two WM. BARUTH.

